Smooth operator
AYESHA THAPAR • Cal-India Hospitality (Ettan, Copra, Eylan & Little Blue Door)
WORK • Friday Routine
AYESHA THAPAR • founder/owner • Cal-India Hospitality (Ettan, Copra, Eylan & Little Blue Door)
Neighborhood you live in: Atherton
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
My office is a well-loved corner of the house — a laptop, a cellphone, and a video screen. The real action doesn’t start until after I’ve seen my two kids off to school. As a business owner with four bustling restaurants and three exciting new projects in the pipeline, mornings are my time to plan and dive into the details.
What’s on the agenda for today?
On any given day, my to-do list is packed with 30-40 tasks that span my restaurants, new projects, home admin, kid logistics, and (last but not least) some self-care. For example, we’re planning a new restaurant project, which involves negotiating lease terms and ideating the concept and design. Today, I’m also working on finalizing investor documents, selecting uniforms, and developing a few more bespoke design elements for Eylan, which opened in January. Aside from that, I’m working on brand strategy and product development for a few upcoming projects.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
This weekend, we’re headed to Robin in Menlo Park, an omakase restaurant with its original location in San Francisco, for a double date. It’s one of our local favorites — always a treat. Two weekends ago, we were craving Thai food and tried Kin Khao. It’s the sister restaurant to Nari, which is right next to my restaurant Copra. We loved the light, vibrant dishes and can’t wait to go back.
Any weekend getaways?
A lot of folks in our area head to the Yellowstone Club in Montana for long weekends. My husband and I aren’t big skiers — we both grew up in India and learned as adults — but our kids love it, and the community there is amazing. We have plenty of friends with homes there, and it’s a fantastic spot year-round. With eight restaurants on the property and endless activities, it’s just as fun in the summer as it is in the winter.
What was your last great vacation?
St. Barths. Choose Cheval Blanc or Eden Rock for luxury stays, or Hotel Le Barrière — which is right in the heart of Gustavia, the capitol city. Our favorite beach clubs are La Guerite, Noa, and Shellona. For dinner, try L’Isola, Bonito, La Petite Plage, Bagatelle, and Sella.